Courtyard House: Inheriting the Restaurant, the Jia Family Wants to Get It for Free

"Master Yi, according to the original files transferred from the Military Control Commission, one of the two rooms you currently live in is registered in your own name. The other room was registered as 'temporary accommodation' back then, right?"

"I..." Yi Zhonghai's lips trembled, unable to utter a word.

This is the biggest thorn in his side.

Back then, relying on being the only level eight worker in the compound and a senior craftsman in the factory, he "borrowed" this room from a neighbor who had moved away. He thought that it wouldn't be long before he could complete the paperwork and make it his own.

Unexpectedly, the matter was delayed again and again, and then he met Cheng Shuhai. This room became a knife hanging over his head.

"Director Cheng, this...this is a legacy issue," Yi Zhonghai explained, wiping his sweat. "I've lived here for so many years, and in reality, it's no different from my own..."

"Whether there's a difference or not isn't up to you or me to decide; we have to look at the files and the rules," Cheng Shuhai interrupted him.

He took a yellowed photocopy of a file from the drawer and pushed it in front of Yi Zhonghai.

"Look for yourself, it's written clearly in black and white."

As Yi Zhonghai looked at the four large characters "temporary lodging" on the file, he felt a wave of dizziness.

He knew that if Cheng Shuhai wanted to take back the room, it would only take a word.

He's finished.

Just when Yi Zhonghai was feeling utterly hopeless and thought he was about to be kicked out, Cheng Shuhai suddenly changed the subject.

"However, Master Yi, please don't be nervous."

"Considering that you are a long-time resident of the compound and have made so many contributions to the factory over the years, I also discussed it with Director Wang from the neighborhood committee."

"Our neighborhood committee will not take back this room."

"Huh?" Yi Zhonghai suddenly looked up, unable to believe his ears.

"However," Cheng Shuhai's tone turned serious again, "the nature of this room must be changed."

"From today onwards, this room will no longer be your 'temporary' private residence, but will be officially registered as a 'public residence' under the unified management of our Nanluoguxiang Neighborhood Committee."

"Then, the neighborhood committee will 'temporarily allocate' this room to your family. Every year, we will decide whether to continue allocating this room to you based on your performance in the compound and your support for the work of the neighborhood committee."

Cheng Shuhai spoke slowly, but every word struck Yi Zhonghai's heart like a small hammer.

He didn't take back the house, but he firmly held onto the ownership and disposal rights of the house in the hands of the neighborhood committee, which was essentially his own.

This is even better than simply taking back the house!

This is tantamount to putting an invisible shackle on Yi Zhonghai.

If he dares to disobey in the slightest in the future, Cheng Shuhai can, at any time, rightfully take the house away and give it to someone else.

Cheng Shuhai had a firm grip on Yi Zhonghai's lifeline.

"Master Yi, do you have any objections to my arrangement?" Cheng Shuhai looked at him and asked calmly.

"No...no objections!" Yi Zhonghai shook his head vigorously. "I completely obey the organization's arrangements! Thank you, Director Cheng! Thank you, the organization!"

He knew that this was the last bit of dignity Cheng Shuhai was leaving him.

"Okay, since there are no objections, let's sign this amendment agreement."

Cheng Shuhai pushed over a pre-prepared agreement.

Yi Zhonghai picked up the pen, his hand trembling so much that he almost wrote his own name crookedly.

After signing and pressing his fingerprint, he seemed to have all his strength drained away, and slumped into the chair.

By employing a combination of kindness and severity, Cheng Shuhai completely subdued the last and most stubborn "opponent" in the courtyard.

Having dealt with Yi Zhonghai, Cheng Shuhai, the new official, immediately launched his second major initiative.

What he wants to rectify is the public affairs of the entire area.

The next day, two new notices were posted on the bulletin board at the entrance of the neighborhood committee.

The first document is a "Notice on the Establishment of a Regional Health Supervision Team".

The notice stipulates that a sanitation supervision team will be established to conduct unscheduled inspections of the sanitation in front of each household and in public areas within the designated area every week. For households failing to meet sanitation standards, the first offense will result in a public reprimand. The second offense will result in a fine. The third offense will be reported to the local street office and linked to the household's workplace.

The second document is the "Notice on Establishing a Registration System for Migrant Population".

The notice stipulates that, effective immediately, all visitors and temporary residents not registered within the designated area must register at the registration desk at the entrance, stating the purpose of their visit and their relationship to the person being visited. The resident being visited must personally greet them and confirm their identity before allowing entry. Any resident found to be illegally harboring outsiders will be severely punished.

These two new regulations are undeniably stringent.

The announcement immediately sparked considerable discussion in the area.

"Isn't this overstepping their bounds? Do we even have to register a visiting relative?"

"Yeah, fining someone for not being clean enough in front of their door? That's just too much..."

However, when they saw the announcement of the personnel appointments below, all the discussion came to an abrupt halt.

The head of the "District Health Supervision Team" is Liu Haizhong.

The person in charge of the "Registration Office for Migrant Population" is Yi Zhonghai.

Cheng Shuhai's personnel arrangements were absolutely brilliant.

He knew Liu Haizhong was ambitious for power and loved to meddle. So he handed over the "sanitation team leader" position, which best embodied power, to him.

Liu Haizhong was so happy to get this "official" position that for several days in a row he walked with his belly sticking out and his hands behind his back. He led a few middle-aged women, carrying small notebooks, and wandered around the area every day, more diligently than anyone else. He was more anxious than anyone else if there was a bit of trash in front of someone's house.

Within a week, the entire area's sanitation was completely transformed.

He handed over the most offensive and tedious task of "registering the migrant population" to Yi Zhonghai, whom he had completely tamed.

Yi Zhonghai is now suffering in silence. Every day, he carries a small stool to the entrance of the compound, holding a registration book. Whenever a stranger comes in, he interrogates them with a stern face, even more thoroughly than the police.

He dared not slack off in the slightest, because he knew that his house was still in danger.

Cheng Shuhai, with just these two fires and two seemingly simple appointments, managed to govern the entire area in a well-organized and orderly manner.

He quickly established absolute authority at the grassroots level.